For any sport or physical activity, your functional range of motion (ROM) affects your performance. If you’re a wrestler with tight hips, good luck getting your opponent down on the mat. If you’re a competitive rower with tight shoulders, you’ll lose power with each short stroke. And if you’re a runner with tight hamstrings, locked up hips, and stiff shoulders, you’re going to struggle to maintain good running posture—especially when you’re tired and need it most.

Running injuries often occur from the knee down but can also radiate up to the hips, spine, and neck—especially if long-standing movement dysfunctions are left uncorrected. A runner with tight hip flexors might turn his feet out when he strides and land slightly off with each foot strike. Initially, this posture compensation is not a problem; but over time, the misaligned stride causes ligament strain on the inside of the runner’s knees and makes it painful to run. He can take a break from running, change his footwear, and do any number of other things, but if he doesn’t fix that muscle imbalances, it’s very likely the problem will get worse with time.

My Running Story

Growing up, both my parents were avid runners, and I spent many of my weekends at 5K and 10K races cheering them on. I starting running myself at a very young age, but I developed all the typical runner’s maladies very quickly, including:

Tendonitis

Plantar fasciitis

Shin splints

And knee pain

I had numerous movement dysfunctions, all of which I can directly link to muscle imbalances and stiffness. My problem areas were my feet, my hips and hamstrings. For years, I assumed my body was just not a “runner’s body,” but I now know that we’re all designed to run, but most of us suffer from imbalances that make it a real challenge to stay pain-free.

My running injuries became so frequent and so painful that I actually stopped altogether for over a decade. Just recently, I returned to running and was pleasantly surprised to be able to log hundreds of miles pain free. I’m a yoga teacher and just a casual runner to be fair, but it’s been amazing to see the difference in my body before and after flexibility training.

For me, staying pain-free while running comes down to three important factors: (1) minimal shoes, (2) increased stride frequency, and (3) quick, full-body warm-ups and post-run flexibility training. I’m proud to report I recently completed my first half marathon, something I never imagined I’d be able to do, and I hope to soon complete my first marathon. All this someone who used to excited if he had a handful of pain-free runs each month!

20-80% of Runners Injured Each Year?

Injury rates among runners are ridiculously high. Depending on what studies you look at, you’ll see 20% to 80% injury rates in most groups. As humans, we’re literally “born to run,” but numerous factors in modern-day life have left us highly prone to injury. Compared to nearly any other sport, the risk of injury for runners is off the charts.

Just stand at the end of any 5k race, and you’ll see people hobbling to a finish. At a 10K race, you’ll see people in much, much worse conditions; and once you get to the half marathon distance and beyond, there are literally ambulances on-hand treating people for every type of injury you can imagine.

But why? Why so much pain with something as simple as running?

There’s no question that over-zealous runners who push too hard without enough training are part of the problem. There is also the issue of over-padded modern footwear that trains ud to heal strike and slam hundreds of pounds of pressure from our heels through to our spine with each step. And lastly, and often overlooked, most runners have serious muscle imbalances due to lack of flexibility that cause them to run with sub-optimal gaits.

If you run funny for a couple days, it’s no problem. If you run funny for a couple months, you’ll feel it. And after years? Your knees could be shot and your feet in constant pain. Conversely, if you fix your posture, fix your stride, and train wisely with great footwear, you’ll set the stage for a long, healthy running career.

Important Factors for Runner Self-Care

“But I heard stretching makes you weak & slow,” you say

Recently, many websites have published articles claiming that stretching can make you weak and slow. Sensational headlines get clicks online, so unfortunately, what started with some interesting research has turned into a wide-spread excuse for people to skip stretching. Bad idea.

Let’s look at the real research and what it means…

There have been numerous studies (1, 2, 3) that show that deep stretching (what I call, flexibility training) before a run is not a good idea. It can potentially down-regulate your nervous system, turn off your stretch response, and de-stabilize your joints.

This sounds like a great excuse not to stretch; but remember, this research applies to deep stretching done before a workout. Let’s unpack that. None of the research discourages preworkout warm-ups (quite the opposite), and the research actually suggests that flexibility training post-workout increases flexibility for most people (see 1, 2).

If warm-up stretches made you weak, do you really think that professional athletes would do it before competition? If flexibility training was not helpful, do you think Olympic athletes would do it each day after training? If you ask any serious athlete about their training, they always have a pre and post-workout routine that includes warm-ups early on and then mobility work later in the day to keep their body mobile and limber.

Here’s What You Need to Know:

Long, deep stretching before a run or a workout can down-regulate your nervous system, reduce your power and speed, and destabilize your joints. Conclusion? Flexibility training should be done after your run. It’s that simple.

Dynamic warm-up exercises are an excellent way to prep your body for work and are fundamentally different than deep stretches. Ideally, you should hit every major joint and muscle in the body. Conclusion? Use dynamic stretches pre-run to warm-up your body. That’s it.

I’d encourage you to watch professional athletes pre-competition routines. They almost always include dynamic warm-ups. Similarly, you’ll find most pro’s have recovery routines that include deep-stretch mobility work, ice, and massage. Intuitively, athletes have known this for years and modern science simply affirms the validity of their approach.

2 Types of Stretching: Warm-Up’s & Flexibility Training

At YOGABODY, we break stretching down into two fundamental practices based on the desired outcome: warm-up stretches and flexibility training. Your typical runner will bob up and down over their toes and stretch their quads for a few seconds before they hit the road. This is what we refer to as warm-up stretching. On the other end of the spectrum, you’ll see yoga students holding passive stretches for many minutes at a time. This is flexibility training.

Definitions

Warm-Up Stretches: Short-holds (10-30 seconds), dynamic, and include full range of motion movements. These are done before a run to prep the body for work, and should include every major muscle and joint in the body. We want to “unstick” your sliding surfaces and tissues, and get your blood flowing.

Flexibility Training: Long holds (1-5 minutes), passive, complete relaxation poses designed to lengthen connective tissues. These are done after running or before bed to restore length to shortened, inflamed tissues, and even to add mobility to areas where you’re stiff. If you thought your run was challenging, wait until you try these postures.

Yoga for Runners

Pre-Run Warm-Ups & Post-Run Flexibility Training

Join this at-home course to learn stretching exercises that will keep you limber, mobile, and injury free. Warm-up stretches take just 2-4 minutes to complete, and after your run, your flexibility training takes 15 minutes and can also be done before bed. This one-two stretching combo can have a dramatic impact your body, posture, and running performance.

100% Satisfaction Guarantee – if for any reason (or no reason at all), you’re unhappy with this program, simply send it back for a full and complete, hassle-free refund anytime within the first year. There is no catch or complicated process to go through. We stand behind all our products unconditionally so you can try out the program risk-free and decide for yourself.

FREE! Bonuses w/Any Purchase

Bonus #1: Corky the Block (eco-friendly yoga block)

Value: $19.95FREE!

This block was originally developed for the YOGABODY Fitness Studio Group because we needed an all-natural, eco-friendly, and non-slip prop to use in our public classes. As a runner, you’ll find this block immediately helpful in your flexibility training routines. Video instruction provided.

Bonus #2: 2-in-1 Super Strap (yoga strap & carrying strap)

Value: $14.95FREE!

This 2-in-1 dual purpose strap doubles as a mat carrier and yoga prop. Beginners: excellent for modifications in seated poses such as forward bend variations and binding twists. Intermediate students: use your Super Strap to practice forearm stand, handstand and other variations. Advanced students: use your Super Strap to learn dancer’s pose, full bow pose and kind pigeon poses. Made from natural cotton with great hand-feel and natural aesthetic

Yes! Group yoga classes are a great way to learn, but we’ve found most runners intend to take yoga classes regularly, but in reality only make it a couple times per month. That’s not frequent enough to see results.

Ideally, you should do your warm-up stretches before each run—but that’s easy. The hard part is your flexibility training that comes after your run or before bed. For best results, do your flexibility training five days per week—or at least every day that you run.

Flexibility training is completely different than other stretching you’ve done in the past. It’s long-hold, passive stretching with a 1:2 breathing ratio that turns off your stretch reflex and allows you to lengthen your connective tissues. It’s to be done post workout or before bed—you decide. Since this routine down-regulates your nervous system, many students like to do it in the evening to help them fall asleep.

This program is highly-targeted for runners and delivers results. Our stretching warm-ups are fast and engage every major muscle and joint in the body. Our flexibility training unlocks your trouble areas: your hamstrings, hips, quads, calves and shoulders.

Before you run, do the warm-up stretches—not the flexibility training. The flexibility training turns down your nervous system and encourages your tissues to completely relax. Before a run, this is not what you want and could potentially be a problem.

If you’re looking for excuses not to stretch, you’ve come to the wrong website. If you want results, you need to do the work. Commit to 15-minutes per day, and you’ll see and feel results very quickly.

If you know you have issues with your running posture, this program can help. We always encourage students to work with a coach or trainer who can watch you and perhaps film you running so you can make corrections together. Yoga for Runners will absolutely help, but sometimes you need someone to give you real-time feedback as well. Our advice? Do both.

Everything at YOGABODY is backed by a 365-day, 100% satisfaction guarantee. If for any reason (or no reason at all) it doesn’t work for you, just send it back for a full and complete refund. No questions asked.

At YOGABODY, there’s no chanting, no chakras, and no gurus. We’re mind-body fitness educators, and it’s all about practice.

Yoga for Runners

Pre-Run Warm-Ups & Post-Run Flexibility Training

Join this at-home course to learn stretching exercises that will keep you limber, mobile, and injury free. Warm-up stretches take just 2-4 minutes to complete, and after your run, your flexibility training takes 15 minutes and can also be done before bed. This one-two stretching combo can have a dramatic impact your body, posture, and running performance.

100% Satisfaction Guarantee – if for any reason (or no reason at all), you’re unhappy with this program, simply send it back for a full and complete, hassle-free refund anytime within the first year. There is no catch or complicated process to go through. We stand behind all our products unconditionally so you can try out the program risk-free and decide for yourself.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: We get so many reviews and testimonials that we accept them in good faith and are not able to independently examine the fitness or ability of any of the students and therefore have not independently verified any specific results quoted. These results are not typical, and your results, if any, will vary and there is always possibility you will not get the results you are looking for. Any and all products and/or services from YOGABODY are backed with an unconditional 100%, 365-day guarantee. Shop with confidence. We're here to help.